New York’s July 4th Fireworks Moving to the East River

Fireworks over the Hudson River from July 4, 2012, as seen from Queens.

AP

UPDATED | The nation’s largest Fourth of July fireworks celebration will return to the East River this year after moving to the Hudson River in 2009, aides to Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday.

Mr. de Blasio, a Brooklyn Democrat who long called for the display to return to the East River, is slated to make the announcement at a news conference along the Brooklyn Heights promenade Monday afternoon.

Macy’s, the department store that sponsors the annual event, moved the fireworks display to the Hudson River in 2009 as part the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson sailing into the body of water that would later be named after him. The fireworks have been held there every year since then.

A number of elected officials, including Mr. de Blasio, have been urging Macy’s to return the display to the East River, arguing that an event on the East River, with views from Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, would serve more New Yorkers.

An aide to the mayor said officials from Macy’s have been open to the idea of moving the display back to the East River for years. This year, when the issue surfaced, Mr. de Blasio worked aggressively to make it happen, an aide said.

The fireworks will be launched from barges located between the Manhattan Bridge and the South Street Seaport area, aides said. Some fireworks will be launched directly from the Brooklyn Bridge.

Macy’s has moved the fireworks display around the city throughout the years. This year marks the 25th time it will be on the East River, an official said. The display has been on the Hudson River 25 times in the past.

Fireworks over the Hudson River on July 4, 2011.

Getty

UPDATED | Executives at Macy’s said there are a variety of factors that contribute to determining the location, including the organizers’ creative goals, safety, public viewing locations and the availability of a wide range of city services.

No decision has been made about the location for future years, but executives at Macy’s are hopeful the location will continue to be changed. Officials have yet to finalize the location of this year’s live telecast; during the past several years, the telecast was headquartered at a park in Chelsea along the Hudson River.

The Brooklyn Bridge will temporarily need to be shut down to accommodate launching fireworks from the span, but officials said they expect the shutdown to last a short period on the day of the event. Macy’s does not disclose the event’s cost, saying it’s a gift to the city and the nation.

In previous years, the fireworks display was located farther north on the East River, which accommodated people who wanted to watch from Queens. This year, the prime viewing spots will be in Lower Manhattan and along the Brooklyn waterfront. A spokesman for Queens Borough President Melinda Katz did not immediately return a request for comment.